Having decided to have our wedding in Pine River, MN, I knew my options for florists were going to…read morebe fairly limited. The closest major city was Brainerd, MN - so that's where I began! There were two florists whose work I liked. I reached out to one, and she wasn't available to do a wedding the weekend I was getting married (April 6, 2019), so she referred me to Lily Grass Floral. Marci from Lily Grass got back to me right away; we started with a one and a half hour conversation about what I was looking for and what I thought I might want. It was a long conversation, but that's because there was a lot to go over! She asked for our budget ($2,000) and was realistic with what could be done with that amount. When I picked things that would put us over the budget, she would be great in finding a way to get what we wanted while keeping us on track (substituting fake greenery for real). We sent photos back and forth so she knew what I was looking for. And she was great about keeping in touch with me (the bride), so that my vision was clear. My advice is to always be clear with your florist; the best way to do that is by sending pictures. Just before the wedding, we had one more conversation that I believe honestly changed our centerpieces from something I would have not liked, to exactly what I wanted (all because I clarified with her/sent her a picture). On the day of, she arrived 4 hours before the ceremony and came directly to me to show me my bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets (note: I did not get to see a mock-up of them beforehand, I was going on blind faith). And they were PERFECT. I was overjoyed. It was everything I had asked for: French countryside, sweet, soft, like what you might find out in a field but romantic as well. The arch for the ceremony, stunning. The staff at my venue ended up transferring the flowers from the arch to the head table for the reception (note: Marci and her staff do not stay past the ceremony to transfer flowers to the reception; you will need someone else to do this); this was another way we saved money, by using the same flowers for the ceremony and reception. For the centerpieces, we did lanterns with flowers spilling off of them. It really was a work of art. Marci was professional, confident, and responsive. She will get you what you're asking for, as long as you communicate it to her clearly. I was changing things on her up until a month before the wedding, and she took it in stride and made it happen. I definitely recommend her to all of you Brainerd-area brides!

Marci was absolutely amazing to work with. So attentive to detail and putting together our vision…read more We ended up having to cancel our wedding due to COVID-19 with our venue closing and she was so understanding with all the changes. If you're looking for a great florist in the Brainerd area, you found it!

Excellent customer service! I don't live in the area and therefore had to give them license to…read morecreate something that would be a pick-me-up for someone in poor heath...and they knocked it out of the park! Beautiful arrangement-the recipient loved it! They were really thoughtful and considerate throughout the process. Great selection of flowers! Great value!

I live out of state and my parents live locally to Northwoods Floral. I called and asked them to…read moremake up a beautiful arrangement for my mom's 88th birthday. Northwoods came up with a gorgeous arrangement--bright, cheerful, unique. The were so easy to work with. Delivery was quick. Mom absolutely loved the flowers. I highly recommend Northwoods Floral.

I have driven by this place a million times and had NO IDEA they had a little coffee/lunch counter…read moreinside until a recent Yelp search alerted me to the fact?! My husband and I had a very nice lunch here, I loved my grilled cheese and soup, plus picked up some day old peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (YUM) and some nice lattes to fortify ourselves before a Target shopping run. There is a LOT to see here aside from food and this is a great gift shopping spot. I will absolutely come back here when I am in the area next time!

Lovely spot with a lot of coffee options!…read more Try the chicken bacon havarti panini. The pesto aioli pairs well with the crispy ciabatta bread! Sandwiches come with chips and a nice pickle. Relaxing atmosphere with seating available to the side. It is in the middle of a large retail shop, so there's plenty to look at while you wait to order.

Probably the best menu and food in Brainerd (great vegan and vegetarian options), but unfortunately…read morethey've reduced their hours and aren't open for dinner on Saturday of all days :(

I would highly recommend Passport for many reasons!…read more The staff have been incredibly hospitable, and friendly. The food is so delicious, I love how the menu changes monthly. I will always have a reason to come back and try something new. I use to be married to a Nigerian man and really have been craving the food! The Suya is spot on! And I love how the Suya and Jollof rice actually had the heat! Nigerian food can be very spicy and Passport made it happen. The meat pie has a lot of good flavor and less heat (spice). The meat pie dough is different but very delicious. It reminded me more of a buttery croissant! Janel and Tatianna were my servers! They really made me feel like I was VIP! Janel even was willing to have small talk with me and gave me a warm hug goodbye. I also had the please to meet the owner and have a chat with him! He was so fun to talk with and learn about his upcoming visions. Keep rocking it crew! I'm hooked!

This coffee shop is our favorite. They have fabulous ladies that work there. If you come in with…read morea positive attitude you will get positive back. We bought our cabin 5 years ago and our entire family loves our coffee time there. We love giving back to our local community. Sometimes there can be a wait but this is not a Caribou or Starbucks, so if you want that experience travel to Baxter. These folks work their tails off. We love them and appreciate the small town atmosphere. Great coffee, lovely people.

A quick pit-stop on my way through town - clean and cozy coffee shop! I ordered the Mountain Top…read morewith chocolate flavoring - delicious!

Parking was effortless, the ice cream was absolutely phenomenal, and the service embodied…read moreeverything you hope for from a small-town ice cream shop--warm, authentic, and remarkably cheerful, especially considering they were serving smiles on a national holiday at no extra charge (major bonus points). Sitting outside with our crew, enjoying cones and good conversation, ended up being one of the unexpected highlights of our Fourth of July weekend. 1000% recommend making the stop--you'll thank yourself later.

Love this place. And the reno!!! It's basically the unofficial headquarters of our family vacations…read moreup north. We rolled in for hot chocolates with pumps of toasted marshmallow syrup dangerously good. My brother, dad, sister‑in‑law, and best friend all ran their own caffeine experiments with coffees and teas, and every single one of them walked away impressed. They've got shelves of games and reading material that make you want to stay awhile... and we did. And then there was the ice cream situation. We went up six times in ten days. Six. They close at seven, so every night turned into a post‑dinner sprint "GO, GO, GO!" which honestly helped us get the dishes done faster. Nothing motivates a family like the threat of missing ice cream. I can't say enough about the staff; from a nut allergy to ordering one scoop of ice cream they let you pick two flavors so you can try something you've never tried before. If you haven't been here before, create a new Up North tradition tell them KT sent you ;)

Excellent place for breakfast. I had the Velvet Elvis and it was delicious. I also appreciated the…read morefruit that went with it. Latte was very good. Would definitely recommend- 5/5

Such a cozy environment! Great variety of food and drink options. Perfect if you want a cozy…read morebreakfast/brunch indoors or outdoors. Great family and friend environment with lovely staff and relatively quick service. It is counter service and you will be given a buzzer to return when food is ready.

Whaaaaaat a fun place! Clean and the staff were very helpful. There is so much to choose from we…read morehave to make a special trip back.....possible every year now We got some small sample packs of chocolates that didn't even make it out of town they were delicious!!! Big thanks to The Chocolate Ox. See you soon!

The Chocolate Ox in Nisswa is such a fun little stop, especially if you have kids. The shop is…read morepacked with candy, toys, Jellycat animals, and so many colorful things to look at that it almost feels like stepping into a candy wonderland. The ice cream itself was good, though the flavor selection was a bit smaller than we expected. We also wish they offered a smaller child-sized scoop since the standard scoops are pretty large at around $5 each. Still, the atmosphere was cheerful and memorable, and it's definitely the kind of place we'd visit again on a future trip to Nisswa.